Combined alarm clock and controlling device



April 17, 1934. a. MELKON COMBINED ALARM CLOCK AND CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l O OO OO I N VEN TOR.

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April 17, 1934. B. MELKON COMBINED ALARM CLOCK AND CONTROLLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Be r/mrd/Ve/Kon y/oz;

ATTORNEZS.

April 17, 1934. B, MELKON 1,955,432

COMBINED ALARM CLOCK AND CONTROLLING DEVICE 1 32 EFB I N V EN TOR fier/mrd/Wel/(on A TTOR E Y5.

Patented Apr. 17, 1934 COMBINED ALARM CLOCK AND CONTROLLING DEVICE Bernard Melkon, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application August 10,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination alarm clock and controlling device particularly adapted for actuating an electrical switch, gas valve or the like for any suitable purpose such as the lighting or extinguishing of lamps, operation of alarms, or the like.

One object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character just indicated which may be provided with relatively little change of a standard type of alarm clock.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an alarm mechanism of improved type.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism readily adapted to actuate a standard type of electrical switch or gas valve to both open or close the same, by throwing a key or stem through successive quarter revolutions.

Numerous other objects of the invention relating primarily to details of construction will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved devices;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mechanism proper, the cover plate being removed;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the mechanism, the hands and dial being removed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of certain details;

Figures 6 and 7 are a side elevation and a bottom plan view of the subject of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of the setting devices;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the same;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view oi. a detail; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary views of an alternative construction.

In the specific embodiment illustrated, the mechannism is enclosed in a housing 2, the mechanism being designated generally at 4. A bell 6, supported by a frame pivoted at 8, may be swung between limits defined by stops 9 by manipulation of a threaded rod 10 so as to be in position to be or not to be engaged by the hammer 12 carried by the lever 14 arranged to be oscillated by the spring driven escapement wheel 16 in the usual manner. The lever 14 at its lower end is provided with a projection 18 engageable by a hooked lever 20 so that the hammer is normally restrained from operation until the projection is released by the hooked lever.

1931, Serial No. 556,104

Lever 20 is pivoted at 24 to the frame and is urged to engaging position by a spring 22.

The pinion 26 of the usual gear train is driven through intermediate gears by the usual main spring. Pinion 26 in turn drives gear 34 through the intermediate gears 30 and 32. Gear 34 is carried by the sleeve 36 mounted in the front and rear plates of the frame. A washer 37 is arranged between sleeve 36 and pinion 42. Mounted in sleeve 36 is a sleeve 38 carrying a hand 40 and also a pinion 42. Journalled in turn in sleeve 38 is a spindle 46 carrying a hand 48 and provided with a knob 50. A member 52 threaded on spindle 46 is arranged by reason of a pin and groove connection 56 to move longitudinally of spindle 46 the member 54 which has longitudinal slots into which extends the pin 58 carried by spindle 46 so that the member 54 may move longitudinally of the spindle 46 so that the member 54 may move longitudinally of the spindle but rotates therewith. A washer 60 is interposed between sleeve 38 and member 54. A pin 44 is carried by sleeve 38 while a pin 62 is carried by member 54; These pins 44 and 62 bear the same relationships respectively to the hands 40 and 48 for the purposes hereafter brought out.

By reason of the construction just described, manipulation of nut 52 serves to clamp all of the parts together so that they will move as a unit.

Located adjacent the mechanism above described is a pin 63 on which slides a sleeve 64 carrying a pinion 68 and having a hollow knob 66 in which is housed a spring '70 resting between the head of pin 63 and the sleeve. If the nut 52 is in position to release the parts, the sleeve 64 may be drawn rearwardly against the action of the spring 70 to bring the pinions 42 and 68 into mesh. By then turning the knob 66, the sleeve may be rotated independently of the spindle 46. Also the spindle 46 may be rotated independently of the sleeve 38 by manipulation of knob 50. The two hands 40 and 48 may be then independently set to positions indicated by the dial 96.

The pins 44 and 62 are arranged to engage the weighted head of a link 72 guided through an eye 86 and pivoted at its lower end by a universal joint to one end of a lever '74 having a central pivot and connected at its opposite end to a hook '76 engaging the lever 20 already described. The shaft 80, carrying the first gear 28 of the spring driven alarm train, supports a star wheel 78 having four teeth engageable with a pawl 82 pivoted to link 72 and normally urged to the fullline position, indicated in Fig. 10 by a spring 84. As viewed in Fig. 5, the shaft has a counterclockwise rotation so that the teeth of wheel '78 tend to lift upwardly against the pawl 82 and cam it and link 72 outwardly and upwardly to disengage the head of the link from either of the pins 44 or 62.

A manually rotatable spindle 88 carries a pin 90 which may be engaged with link 72 to permanently hold it out of the path of pins 44 or 62.

The rear end of the shaft 80 carries a rearwardly opening socket 92 arranged to embrace the key of a standard type of electrical socket 94 or the stem of a gas valve or the like. This socket or valve is held in position by a suitable clamp 98.

Considering now the operation of the device, let it be assumed that it is desired that the alarm shall ring and that the switch (or valve) is to be turned on at one time and off at another.

The dial 96 in the present instance does not indicate time corresponding to that of the clock but only elapsed time after the time of setting. That is, if it is desired that the switch should be turned on one hour after setting and off ten hours after setting, then the hands 40 and 48 would be set as indicated, in Fig. 1, by manipulating the knobs 66 and 50 and then clamping the spindle 46 and sleeves 36 and 38 into a unit by turning the knob 52. The gear train is so arranged that this unit will make one revolution in'twelve hours. The bell will also be set so that the alarm will sound when the hammer is released.

As one of the pins now rotate it will contact with the turned upper-end of link 72 pulling the same forward rocking lever 74 and releasing the hammer. As the hammer vibrates, the escapement wheel 16 rotates and the main driving gear 28 of the alarm mechanism also rotates. By the resulting movement of shaft 80, one of the teeth of the star wheel 78 engages and cams outwardly the pawl 82 thus releasing the links '72 from the pin 44 or 62 heretofore lifting it. The link then drops under the action of spring 22 and hooked lever 20 again holds the hammer lever stopping the ringing and also rotation of shaft 80. Due to the fact that the star wheel '78 has four teeth, the shaft 80 makes one-fourth of a revolution at each actuation serving to turn on or off the switch or valve. By using a different star wheel, of course, different fractional revolutions may be produced. If it is decided that the switch should be actuated without the alarm, the bell may be positioned out of the path of the hammer. An auxiliary switch or valve in the line with the switch or valve 94 may be arranged to. take care of the instances when it is desired that the alarm shall be used without operation of the automatic switch or valve.

It is to be noted that the duration of the sounding of the alarm corresponds to a quarter revolution of shaft 80. If longer sounding is desired, the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 may be adopted. In this case a mutilated gear 100 having teeth only on two opposite quadrants is secured to shaft 80 and arranged to mesh with a perfect gear 102 carrying the key socket 104. The star wheel 78, must of course, have 2 teeth. In this case obviously the alarm will sound during one half the revolution of shaft 80 although the key will be given only a quarter turn.

The entire alarm and switch mechanism may be rendered inoperative by locating 90 to hold link 72 out of the path of pins 44 and 62.

It will be obvious that numerous variations may be made within the spirit of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined clock and controlling device including clockwork mechanism and auxiliary mechanism, a controlling device operable by the auxiliary mechanism, means cooperating with the clockwork mechanism and adjustable to set the auxiliary mechanism into operation at pre- 1 determined times, said means including a setting device rotatable by the clockwork mechanism, a link, means whereby the link is first raised by the setting device and then released therefrom by the auxiliary mechanism and means whereby 1 the controlling device is driven through a fractional part of a revolution upon each operation of the auxiliary mechanism.

2. A combined clock and controlling device including clockwork mechanism and auxiliary 1 mechanism, a controlling device operable by the auxiliary mechanism, means cooperating with the clockwork mechanism and adjustable to set the auxiliary mechanism into operation at predetermined times, said means including a setting device rotatable by the clockwork mechanism, a link, means whereby the link is first raised by the setting device and then released therefrom by the auxiliary mechanism, means whereby the controlling device is driven through a fractional 1 part of a revolution upon each operation of the auxiliary mechanism, and manually operable means whereby the setting device is prevented from moving said link. BERNARD MELKON. 

